Arcadia National Park, Maine

Sunday July 7 2013. We found the Boston area to be very interesting and you could easily spend an entire vacation there, but it was time for us to move on. I-95 is the most direct route for the first half of our 200+/- mile journey to Arcadia National Park in Maine. Soon we were passing thru long sections of undeveloped forest; it didn’t take long for us to realize there are more trees than people in Maine. I suspect the reason is the harsh winters for it is a beautiful place and you’d think more people would be living here.

About half way to Arcadia we stopped in the town of Gardiner and met with an army comrade of mine, Bob Lamarre and his wife Nancy.  Bob and I have corresponded via the internet but this was our first face to face meeting, I look forward to meeting guys from “our” war, we have a bond that transcends time and it’s always good to see them. 

It is an interesting story of how the internet expands our lives, Bob and I both served with the 195^th Assault Helicopter Company in Vietnam but not at the same time. He left country several days before I got there. It wasn’t until 35+/- years later that we made contact on the 195^th’s website. The commonality between us was Bob’s brother Larry who also served in the 195^th and whom I knew very well. Unfortunately Larry Lamarre succumbed to leukemia some years ago.

After our all too brief visit we continued on to Arcadia National Park. Arcadia is everything you’ve heard about it. It is one of the most scenic wildernesses we’ve ever seen. The thousands of acres of woodlands are located on an island set in the rocky shore of the Atlantic Ocean. Centerpiece of the park is Cadillac Mountain, you can drive to the summit which is 1500 feet above sea level,. Once there you can hike amongst the rocky outcroppings and take in spectacular views of the park and surrounding islands as well as the Atlantic Ocean.

On Mount Desert Island but just outside the park boundary is the small town of Bar Harbor or as the Mainers say it “Ba Haba”.  It is the quintessential tourist town and I must add a very well done version. It has a history dating to the 1700s, preserved waterfront business district; the stores now vending merchandise for the visitors, a vibrant restaurant scene, whale watching charter boats and a water view public park. Millie and I enjoyed lunch overlooking the harbor at the Fish House Grill. Afterwards we bought some homemade blueberry ice cream from BEN & BILL'S CHOCOLATE EMPORIUM. We sat on a bench along the main street and watched the passing parade while we enjoyed the delicious treat.